


A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More "Touch Me"

by queenlara



Series: College Verse (the "of All Time" verse) [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, pre-college AU verse, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-03-15 00:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3430586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenlara/pseuds/queenlara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The greatest laser tag game of All Time. Or, Pepper and Nat go on a date, goofiness and fluff ensues. Pre-College Verse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More "Touch Me"

**Author's Note:**

> Me and Tina decided that Pepper and Nat totally went to the same high school, and used to date for a while before the craziness happens with James and Natasha. So enjoy this pure, self-indulgent fluff. Also, I claim no ownership of the characters or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Title from Fall Out Boy, this time.
> 
> I also have to thank Tina for being so incredibly awesome to edit all my writing and to put up with my nonsense. She's definitely the best roommate ever!

Pepper glances over at the other redhead, who is currently sprawled across her carpet, flipping through her scrapbooks. She could scarcely believe what was happening, and had to pinch herself, just in case.

She, Virginia Pepper Potts, was on a date with the infamous Natalia Romanova. Rumored to be highly ranked in the local gang along with her foster brother James Barnes, she was as terrifying as she was beautiful. She had few, if any, friends at their school and didn’t hesitate to put people in their place. To put it simply, she was half-legend, half-social pariah.

Pepper had admired Natalia from afar, because as a member of the Debate team and the Student Council, they were as far apart as people could be. Pepper was woman enough to admit that she had always had a crush on Nat, in a bad-girl kinda way. With her long, curly red hair and her graceful movements, it was a wonder most of the student population wasn’t in love with her.

They first struck up an acquaintance when they were made partners for their finance project, and at first Pepper had worried that Natalia wouldn’t do any work. She was pleasantly surprised when Natalia offered excellent ideas of her own about the content and format. (Crush or nor crush, Pepper Potts was Secretary of the Student Council and wasn’t going to have a useless project partner).

The first time Natalia cracked a shitty dad joke when Pepper was in a funk, she knew that Natalia wasn’t all that she seemed. As they had progressed to friends and got an A+ on the project, Pepper was too busy trying to crush her disappointment that they would no longer have any reason to hang out to notice Natalia blushing. After a quick “will you go on a date with me?” from the latter, they had agreed to meet at Pepper’s house on Saturday. Natalia was still tight-lipped about her foster father, so Pepper wisely chose to not push it.

“I can’t believe you scrapbook, Potts. Though I shouldn’t be surprised, it shows a cute side to the iron-spined Student Council Secretary.” Natalia quips, smiling at Pepper.

Pepper raises an eyebrow. “Like you have any room to talk, Natalia. If the students knew that you just cracked shitty jokes all the time you’d lose your street cred,” she says primly, and Natalia chuckles at that.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t take you on a proper date, Pepper. Alexander... that is, my foster father, doesn’t know that I, uh, like girls.”

“It’s okay. It wouldn’t want to get you in trouble,” Pepper answers, and then frowns. “I don’t see why we still can’t go out, though, but lowkey.”

Natalia doesn’t respond to this, and instead continues to flip through her scrapbook, pausing occasionally to trace the words neatly printed on each page.

“Laser tag!” Pepper almost shouts, making Natalia jump.

“What?” she asks, bewildered. “That was kind of a non sequitur.”

“Sorry, I mean we should go play laser tag! No one would expect to see us there, and most of it takes place in the dark. And exercise is good for you. Elevates the heart rate and stimulates muscles.” Pepper begins to blush under Natalia’s scrutiny. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because, Miss Potts, you are a genius. I can’t believe I’m the one who asked you on a date, but you’re coming up with the ideas.”

“I am, after all, a planner extraordinaire.”

**********

Fully armed, Pepper Potts has to admit that Natalia looks like she’s in her element. Long hair pulled back in a messy bun, laser tag vest velcroed on, and weapon hefted in her left hand—Natalia Romanova looks ready to roll. Pepper could swear that someone deliberately picked “Killer Queen” to play over the crackling speakers in the lobby of LaserWorld.

LaserWorld, formerly a warehouse, was converted into a laser tag place ten years ago to keep kids from sneaking in and smoking weed (that didn’t stop them, Pepper notes, as the faint smell of cannabis is in the air). It mostly held kids birthday parties, and college students who wanted to goof off during school breaks. It wasn’t “cool” by highschool standards, so Pepper figures they should be pretty safe from the prying eyes of gossipers. She can imagine the tabloid title now: “Romanova and Potts Caught Playing “Lasertag” Together: Innuendo or Not?”

Natalia has a smirk on her face that reads “cat got the canary,” and Pepper frowns at her, all while guiding her to the entrance to the maze.

“What are you smirking about, Romanova?”

“Oh, just how I’m going to impress you with my guns.”

That gets Pepper’s attention. “Regulation only allows one gun per person,” she says as she turns to look at Natalia, who is flexing her arms.

“I’m talking about these guns, Potts.”

She blushes red up to her roots, and Natalia bursts into laughter.

“You should see your face!” Natalia crows, and then wiggles her eyebrows. “We can have _le smexytimes—_ ”

“Oh my god, Nat, those memes have been beaten like a dead horse. Please, spare me.” Pepper rolls her eyes, and then the maze beeps, and a countdown starts.

“If I win, you have to make me a rage comic.”

“Nat—what? Hell no. Please. I have standards, Miss Romanova.”

Natalia shrugs, and bolts into the maze when the countdown hits zero. “See you on the flip side, Potts!”

Pepper just shakes her head and follows her into the maze, albeit at a more sedate pace. The inside of the maze is quiet, no music playing, and Pepper immediately locates the nearest set of stairs. She needs perspective, distance.

 _I’ll make her eat her words. Rage comic, my ass_ , Pepper thinks.

**********

Halfway up the stairs, she feels her vest vibrate against her chest. _Shit, how did she not hear Natalia—_

Her train of thought is stopped, however, by the tinny speakers on the vest crackling to life. “ _Mmm watcha say, mmmm that you only meant well?_ ” the speakers proclaim, and Pepper lets out a groan.

“Natalia Romanova. You hacked into the system so you could accomplish meme domination? That’s illegal,” Pepper says hotly, the girl in question sitting on the stairs howling with laughter.

“They should be thanking me. I’m hilarious, and I updated their shitty system for free!”

“Romanova. You do know that you broke several laws, right?”

“Contrary to popular belief, Miss Secretary, I don’t know everything,” Natalia deadpans.

As Pepper rolls her eyes and throws her hands in the air with exasperation, she wonders how anyone could find Natalia emotionless or cold. _She may hide it well, but she’s not as scary as the rumors say,_ Pepper muses.

**********

After giggling their way to a local cafe, Pepper collapses in her seat—gracefully, she is a lady, after all—and waits for Natalia, who is picking up their drinks from the barista. Her stoic mask is in place again since they’re back in public, but Pepper has her number—Natalia is just a meme-loving nerd. Even if her taste in memes is questionable.

“Miss Secretary, your drink,” she offers, setting her latte down with a flourish.

Pepper tilts her head, eyeing Natalia speculatively. Natalia shifts in her seat slightly, the only sign that she’s uncomfortable.

“Why do you act like you eat the livers of men for breakfast?”

Natalia blinks, a smile tugging at the edge of her lips. “Who says I don’t?”

“You know what I mean, Natalia.” Pepper hesitantly reaches over, placing a hand over Natalia’s. “You and your brother... I’m not trying to pry, but you’re just… I’m fucking this up.” Pepper finishes quietly with a small laugh.

“Miss Secretary curses? What would your mother say if she heard your language.”

Pepper smiles, sensing a topic change. “I won’t push. But, if you want to talk... the offer’s open,” she shrugs.

Natalia smiles, a genuine one. It lights up her face, and Pepper wants to remember it forever. “Thanks, Pepper. Now, onto more important topics... I won, so you owe me a rage comic.”

Pepper scrunches her face in displeasure. “God, please. Those memes have been dead forever, Romanova. Besides, they’re juvenile.”

“I can’t believe you’re insulting the sanctity of the rage memes, Pepper. I bet you also don’t like Icanhazcheezburger, huh?”

“Lord have mercy on my soul. I’m dating a memelord.”

Natalia smiles again, and Pepper colors slightly. “I mean, we don’t have to label it, if you don’t want, Nat—”

Natalia interrupts by squeezing her hand lightly. “I can’t believe I’m dating the Student Council Secretary.”

 


End file.
